Letter addressed to the Tarifa town hall and the governing body of the natural park

Casa de Porros

Dear Sirs,
This spot which is well known around the world has suffered a significant change which will have a serious negative impact on the attractiveness for all people who love this place. On the 14th of September the Tarifa town hall cleared the area requesting people to leave the spot in order to start the construction of a new parking. This new parking is located around 400 meters away from the beach and covers an area of 3.000 square meters. Around the parking they have placed a mound of earth to avoid the access to the beach.

We are not exaggerating if we say that the new parking means the loss of one of the most emblematic spots around Europe.

We all agree about the importance of the natural environment and that especially nowadays we have to find ways to use such fantastic places with the respect the nature deserves. Bearing this in mind we accuse the Tarifa town hall and the responsible governing body of the natural park for not carrying out this work with the corresponding professionalism and without taking into account the important role of this spot for the tourism industry of Tarifa and their visitors.

- The parking will not even cover 10 % of the necessary space (especially during the summer period). It’s predictable that people will need to park on the side of the dangerous national road.

- The piled earth surrounding the parking (1.5 meters) blocks the access to the beach even by foot unless you “climb” over it, packed with all the windsurfing gear.

- The beach is around 400 meters away, which means, for those who are lucky to catch a parking space, they will need (after climbing over the mound) to carry all the windsurf equipment (approximate 20 Kg) all that distance to the beach. All this with the famous Levante which can easily blow up to 80 Km/h and wearing a wetsuit supposes an important obstacle.

Unfortunately the responsible people regarding this issue did not bear in mind that this is a unique spot which is designated to one SPORT which is Windsurfing.

ONCE MORE: We share the idea to respect the natural environment. However the natural park is also there to be enjoyed and what better way than practicing sport? Since 3 decades the so cold “descampao” has been a paradise for windsurfers around the world and today if you look from the new parking behind the mound everything seems to be as 30 years ago, nothing has changed which is clear evidence that the environment has not suffered any serious damages.
The city of Tarifa which nowadays is mainly generating their income thank to the tourism, became famous to a big part thank to the windsurfers around the world who visited the area in the 1980´s to practice their sport and enjoy this wonderful place.
Tarifa has now the unique chance to adjust and prepare the area on an ecologic and modern way. Please do not let this chance pass away to draw a picture of Tarifa as a modern and clean city dedicated to the wind-sports. Without any doubt, Casa de Porros can be easily prepared for its use respecting the natural environment.

With the collected signatures we would like to demonstrate the public interest and the disagreement of the decisions taken until today.
If the responsible authorities regard it as strictly necessary, to build a parking in this area, we claim to bear in mind that this area is expressly dedicated to wind sports and it should fulfil the following conditions:
1. The size of the parking needs to be large enough to cover the real demand especially during the high season. The area which is currently been used does not even cover 10 % of the real demand.
2. The parking needs to be located closer to the beach facilitating the transport of the sport gear. Currently the parking is located approximately 400 meters away from the beach. Taking into account that windsurfing gear has a weight of around 20-25 Kg it becomes obvious that nobody has thought of the people who carry out this sport.
3. The distribution of the individual parking spaces needs to be done bearing in mind the necessities of the windsurfers who visit the place, leaving enough space to rig sails and including a path to allow the transport of the equipment without damaging cars.

Tarifa, “YOU CAN NOT GO AGAINST THE WIND”

19 Responses to Casa de Porros, TARIFA

For many years this spot has given much pleasure to many many people. What is the reason or explanation of this closure? If there are legitimate reasons that the the authorities have for taking these drukonian steps, e.g. rubish build up, sanitation, etc., surely if they were communicated to users, then the spot can be continued to be used in accordance with with certain considerations. The majourity of regular users of this spot ARE considerate and want the area and it’s natural beauty to be preserved. As with many such situations, it is the behaviour of the few that spoil it for the majority.

Hi- I posted this to Gorge Windsurfing’s facebook page, and people have voiced concern over writing their passport number. If they choose not to write that, does their name still count on the petition? Is there a reason for needing it?

This action is due to EU financial appropriations on nature conservancy.
Within those projects access to many attractive places within nature is refused without any brain and intelligence just for capturing financial appliance.
A pity what globalisation does to us humans – more costs and less rights.

The closure of this unique spot will have a major impact on Tarifas tourism, the people who stayed on this beach will not move to one of the campsite just because its not allowed to stay there overnight anymore, they will simply not spend there holiday and their well need money by Tarifa in the Town. Their just look for other places to go! Can you really affoard this to happen after the Surftourism did so god to you TARIFA TOWNHALL?
Do not bite the hand thats feeding you!
Please reopen this beache and leave it like it was in the last 25 years! Its an beautiful and unique place in Europe please leave it like it was in the past that we can enjoy it also in the future!

Mother of as all Place of our birth How can we stand aside and watch the rape of the world.
This the beginning of the end This the most heinous of crimes.
( Tracy Chapman)
I just wondering that you also lie as the other politicals in the name of mother earth.
But you can not kill the Spirit of this Place Spirit is stronger than money.
Still we pray for wind that blow your ill lies away.
In Peace
Jürgen

Please do safe one of the most beautiful and authentic places in Europe!!! There are not many places like that here in Europe left and I think it is sad to loose them all due to business. Lets think a bit more about the nature and lets maintain it!! Please!!
Thanks
-Sarah

hi my name is armando mendoza and born in the philippines by the beach in leyte, grow up half of my life there and love it verry much,we have a beutifull beach, and lots of turist every year, becouse we save our beach, we need to save and cherist our beach and the mountain, without them we won’t be leaving now , ocean and and mountain provide us fresh oxygen with out them were dead wake up people.and don’t forget it will bennefit to our children too so pls save them, now and then we need to step up, thank you Mahalo